Articles & Analysis

Mock Draft V1.0 Part 1

By Andrew Taylor, Day 95, 2021

2022 MOCK DRAFT – V1.0 PART 1

Welcome to the 2022 mock draft. This mock draft (V1.0) utilizes the JD.Net rankings at the end of Day 70 of the 2021 CJBL season. Since we have not yet reached the later stages of the CJBL season they are the only service that has made their rankings publicly available at this point in time. Please note that since the season is still underway the players on this list have not yet declared for the JBL draft. As a result, the presence of individual players in this mock draft should not be taken to mean that they will be available come draft day. Most notably the top ranked player, Josiah Robinson, will not be available as he has made a four-year commitment to the Air Force. To establish the pick order utilized in this mock draft I have utilized the standings at the end of Day 88 of the JBL season alongside the pre-established expansion team order.

As with last year’s mock drafts minor updates (V1.1 for example) will be made to take into account trades that impact the ownership of picks or the needs of each organization. Major updates (V2.0 for example) will be made when the scouting services revise their rankings after the lottery has been conducted.

1. New York Renegades

Prior to the season so-called experts tipped the Renegades to make the Eastern Conference playoffs. To say they were a little off would be exceedingly generous. Instead halfway through the season the Renegades sit near the bottom of the standings surrounded by expansion teams. Bradley has been exceptional but neither Rashard nor Lewis has elevated their games enough to compensate for the teams near complete lack of quality players beyond it’s big three. As they move towards the 2022 offseason the team must face a future without Rashard, who will likely retire at the end of the season, and potentially Lewis, who at age 30 will attract big offers in free agency and may not be retained.

This would leave Bradley as one of only 3 players under contract for the 2022 season. As such the team will enter the draft with needs at every position except for small forward, although even that could change if the team elects to trade Bradley and start completely fresh. Proceeding on the assumption that the team elects to retain their All-JBL wing we believe that the team will look to pair him with a strong young post player. Whilst there are several talented big men at the top of the draft we ultimately believe that the team will elect to draft 17-year-old Cincinnati C/PF Latrell Mason. Of course, that’s assuming they don’t trade down to secure additional assets for their rebuilding project.

SELECTION – LATRELL MASON (C/PF)

2. Cincinnati Kings

The Cincinnati Kings enter this draft with 3 first round selections and with multiple opportunities to fill their needs are almost impossible to project accurately. The team seems set at the SG position, especially given Owen’s recent strong form, and the GM seems to have a fanboy’s love for PF Richmond Benson. The team’s biggest need is at PG, currently manned by undrafted rookie Tyler Ferguson, but with no standout prospect at that position the team may elect to take the best available player. In this scenario we see the team rounding out its wing rotation by drafting Villanova SF Victor Olojakpoke.

SELECTION – VICTOR OLOJAKPOKE (SF)

3. Mexico City Jaguars (Via Oakland Tritons)

Whilst the Jaguars started the season strong their recent slump has pushed them down the standings and into a position that would see them enter the draft with two picks in the top 5. The team is set in the front court with Akieem Martin and reigning ROY Khalil Hooker and is similarly well stocked at PG. However, beyond Antoine Vega the team is exceptionally light at the wing positions which has forced the team to start the 6’2 Adams at the SG position. As such we anticipate that the team will use it’s first selection in the draft to address its SG problem. In this scenario we see the team selecting Kansas SG Marcus Dunn.

SELECTION – MARCUS DUNN (SG)

4. Louisville Colonels

With the versatile Uman Akele at SF and 2 competent players at both point guard and center we anticipate that the Colonels will be looking to use this selection to fill their hole at the SG position. The team will likely consider a number of candidates including Connecticut’s Tyrese Porter but we ultimately believe they will select USC SG/SF Cortez Ellison because his ability to play both wing positions will give the team more flexibility to move Akele around the lineup.

SELECTION – CORTEZ ELLISON (SG/SF)

5. Mexico City Jaguars

Having filled their hole at SG with their first pick in the draft we anticipate that the Jaguars will use their second selection to build some wing depth behind projected starters Vega and Dunn. Whilst there are several wing candidates at this stage of the draft we ultimately believe the team will lean towards Syracuse SF Dakarai Savage, who at 6’9 would allow the Jaguars to trot out lineups with only one player shorter than 6’9.

SELECTION – DAKARAI SAVAGE (SF)

6. Dallas Predators

The Predators have had a rough debut season and are entrenched at the bottom of the standings. Whilst the team has depth needs at each position we believe that the will disregard the forward spots due to the long-term contracts they’ve given to Chambers and Weekes. Whilst the team could pursue a SG to insure themselves against Wade’s impending free agency we ultimately believe that the team will settle on Kansas C/PF Deandre Stackhouse. Stackhouse would team with Weekes and the injured Davis, who showed some positive flashes early, to give the team a solid big man rotation moving forwards.

SELECTION – DEANDRE STACKHOUSE (C/PF)

7. Kansas City Knights

In the 2021 draft the Knights defied the expectations of the so-called experts to select T-Rex Thompson with the 13th pick. The team had been expected to draft a PG to backup the aging Curtis Price, and serve as his long-term replacement. At this stage of the draft there are 2 players who will likely receive consideration, but we believe that the team will ultimately select Arkansas PG Isaiah Leonard.

SELECTION – ISAIAH LEONARD (PG)

8. Cincinnati Kings (Via Baltimore Bullets)

With the Kings having addressed their needs at the wing position with the 2nd selection in the draft we anticipate that the team will utilize this pick to address the point guard position. With the Knights having taken the top ranked PG Leonard off the board only one pick prior we anticipate the team will select the next best available PG; Memphis PG Deleon Slay.

SELECTION – DELEON SLAY (PG)

9. Philadelphia Warriors

The Philadelphia Warriors have outperformed expectations and are over .500 at the midway point of the season. The team has its foundational piece in Weaver and whilst there is solid talent on the roster the team will need to make some choices before they take this pick regarding who they believe will form a part of the team’s core alongside Weaver in coming years. However, with C Fontaine entering free agency this year we anticipate the team will elect to draft a big man; San Diego C Treyvon Miller. This way if the team chooses to retain Fontaine then they will have a strong 3-man front court rotation or a readymade replacement on hand.

SELECTION – TREYVON MILLER (C)

10. Pittsburgh Vipers

As expected the Vipers have had the best debut season of all the expansion teams led by a starting five loaded with solid veteran contributors. However, behind Hill and the old guard the team is lacking in depth at almost every position. With Hill likely there for the long haul we anticipate that the team will elect to draft a big man or wing player to backup and in the long term replace their old guard. However, with both Carstensen and Respert entering free agency we ultimately believe the team will lean towards the wing position and select Michigan SF Aquille Glover.

SELECTION – AQUILLE GLOVER (SF)

11. Austin Rockets

After their trade with the Bullets addressed the Rockets hole at the PF position the Austin Rockets have only one key need moving forwards; a long-term replacement for JBL Legend Kaiama Nyambi. Nyambi has a player option for next year but there is no guarantee that he’ll be back, so this is the draft where the team must finally select a potential long-term replacement. Luckily for them we anticipate that Georgetown C/PF Rashaad Haslem will slide out of the top ten and be available for them to select with the 11th pick in the draft.

SELECTION – RASHAAD HASLEM (C/PF)

12. Charlotte Drones

With Anthony, Rush and Wingate the Charlotte Drones are set at 3 of their five starting positions, but the team should still have questions about their starters at PG and PF moving forwards. Layton has been particularly disappointing and as such PG is probably the team’s greatest need. As such we suspect the Drones will reach a little and select Duke PG Calvin Astroth.

SELECTION – CALVIN ASTROTH (PG)

13. Minneapolis Blizzards (Via New Orleans Hurricanes)

The Blizzards currently have two players who they’d be happy to lock in for the future; rookie sensation Donovan Galloway and Lamar Claxton. For the purposes of establishing team needs we’ll lock Galloway in as a PF instead of a center as his height may prove an impediment to playing C as the team develops. In this case team will be looking to find a wing to pair with Claxton, who can play both spots, and a point guard with their back to back selections. With their first pick we seem the team filling their need at the wing with Connecticut SG Tyrese Porter.

SELECTION – TYRESE PORTER (SG)

14. Minneapolis Blizzards

With their second pick we see the Blizzards filling their second major need at the point guard position. Whilst there will be several candidates at this stage of the draft we believe the team will select Louisville freshman PG Keyon Barber.

SELECTION – KEYON BARBER (PG)

15. Miami Cyclones

The Miami Cyclones have shown dramatic improvement to push themselves into the playoff picture this year on the back of key additions Josh Gamble and Reggie Fortier. However, the team still has one considerable hole at the center position. With this selection we anticipate that the Cyclones will select Marquette C/PF Brandon Weir.